April 2016- The ceremony of Walking With Our Sisters

Walking With Our Sisters is currently on exhibition at Brandon University until March 6th.

The exhibition Walking With Our Sisters was first conceived of by artist Christi Belcourt (Metis). The exhibition (Belcourt explains that it is effectively more of a ceremony than a traditional exhibition) opened in Edmonton (AB) and has travelled to Yellowknife (NT), Akwesasne First Nation (ON). It is currently in Red Deer (AB) with more stops possible in the future.

What follows here is not a review of the work, rather it is an attempt to feature the piece and, offer a collective of reports written on the installation. – The GAG

Various sources across the internet describe Maracle’s important book Daughters Are Forever in the following way: The novel incorporates an innovative structure based on Salish Nation storytelling to depict the transformation of Marilyn, a modern-day Native woman who is alienated from her culture, family and self. By listening to the wind and the natural world, Marilyn begins to heal the deep-rooted, inherited hurt that has numbed her life-force. This is a moving and important work about First Nations people in the modern world, and the importance of courage, truth and reconciliation.

Michael Enright called on Maracle to speak about the Truth and Reconciliation hearings on the CBC’s Sunday Edition. A thoughtful discussion which you can hear here. And, in pairing a piece of Maracle’s poetry to the topic of missing and murdered aboriginal women, we include Lee Maracle’s bold and direct poem War below.